Internal combustion engine



Nov. 17, 1931. DEEBLE 1,832,282

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Oct. 25, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE v Filed Oct. 25, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Elihu/nu Nov. 17, 1931. DEEBLE 1,832,282

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Oct. 25, 1929 4 SheetsSheet 5 Nov. 17, 1931. R. E. DEEBLE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Oct. 25, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES ROY E. DEEBLE, or LONG ianncmcamroma INTERNAL COMBUSTION Enema Application filed mam-25, 1929. Serial no. 402,455.

' This invention relates to an engine construction in which a novel combination of elements give rise to a desirable, light weight machine of numerous uses. For example, the construction disclosed. herein may be employed in double-acting internal combustion engines 'so as to give rise toa motor capable of generating an increased quantity of power for a given weight ofmachinery.

The invention relates to a construction of cylinders and pistons which permits space heretofore wasted to be utilized either inthe generation of power or in the compression of-iuel or airfor use in the motor.

Generally described, the invention relates to a reciprocating engine in which a movable piston provided with a skirt and with a longitudinal opening inthe skirt is employed. A wrist pin assembly'may be removably attached to the lower end of the piston skirt, namely, to the end of saidskirt opposite the head of the piston.

A-stationary bulkhead is then preferably positioned'within the piston skirt, that is, the bulkhead is stationary with respect to the cylinder in which the piston is located and around which the piston skirt may be 7 moved. An expansible shoe packing is preferably carried by thestationary bulkhead, said packing extending through the opening in the piston skirt so. as to seal this opening substantially gas-tight.

The construction described in general hereinabove gives rise theref0re,'to a cylinder containing a movable piston and with cham- I bers on both sides of the piston, so thattwo expansion chambers are formed in each cylinder. These expansion chambers are of substantially the same volume or diameter. By placing a valve assembly in operativecommunication with the space between the sta tionary bulkhead and the head-of the cylinder through the longitudinal opening in the skirt of the piston, the motor may be used as a double-acting internal combustion or reciprocating engine.

Instead of using the space between-the movable piston and the stationary bulkhead as an expansion chamber, said chamber may be employed as acompression chamber, such as for example, a chamber in which air or a mixture of gases adapted to be used as a fuel may be compressed and then injected into the upper portion of the cylinder. In this manner the engine will function as a single acting motor, thelower chamber fulfilling merely; the purposes of a super-charger orfuel compressor. I

An object of this invention is to disclose and provide a reciprocating engine in which means are provided for maintaining a movable piston in cylinder walls. i p v V Another object of this inventionis to discloseand provide aniinternal combustion engine of the double-acting type. i A still further object of this invention is todi sclose and providea new and novel wrist pin assembly for movable pistons.

Another object is to disclose and provide a novel method of supplying cooling fluid to pistons while they are in motion. r

A still further obj ect is to disclose and provide a reciprocating enginein which work is performed on boththe upa-nd down strokes of the piston PATEN T? ori ice" perfect alinement with the Another object is to disclose and provide a ternal combustion engines. 7

Another object i-s-to disclose and'provide a double-acting internal combustion engine in which means for sealing the piston against the passage of gases thereby is provided.

Other objectsand advantages of my'inven-,. tion will become apparentto those skilled in the art fromthefollowing detailed'description of the preferred form ofmy invention and modifications thereof, reference being had tofthe appended drawings, in which for illustrative purposes, a double-acting, fourstroke cycle internal combustion; engine is shown. I It is tobe understood, however, that the invention is not limited to its adaptation and use on four-stroke, double-acting internal combustion engines, but ma other purpose's'anduses.

In the-drawings: -.Fig '1' is a longitudinal section through one.

simplified constructionfor double-acting inportion of form of construction used 1n posltlomng the cylinder of an internal combustion engine embodying my invention. 7

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the movablepiston and stationary bulkhead employed in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective showing one form of expansible shoe packing employed in sealing the port of the movable piston in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a contraction ring used in the motor illustrated in the other-figures.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on plane 5'5 indicated in Fig. 1.

the

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken along the plane 6-6 of Fig. 1.

. Fig.7 is a horizontal section taken along the plane 7-7 ofFig. 1.

v Fig. 8 is ahorizontal section takenalong plane 8 8 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectionthrough one cylinder, showing. an internal combustion engine embodying a modification of my invention. 7

Fig. 10 is a transverse section along the plane;10-1O of Fig. 9. i

. Fig. 11 is alongitudinal section through a a cylinder disclosing a modified engines, certain types of reciprocating engines and the like. I

The engine may comprise an upper cylinder portion 1 connected in any suitable mane ner as by means of the bolts 2 to a lower cylinder portion 3, so as to form one continuous cylinder having an inner wall, indicated at 4. The upper portion of the cylinder 1 may be provided with a closed head indicated at 5', and a valve chamber 6 may be in communication with the upper portion of the cylinder 1 A'similar valve chamber 7 may be in communication with an intermediate portion of the cylinder, as for example between cylinder portions 1 and 3. Spark plugs 8 and 8'. may be provided in the respective valve chambers 6 and 7, and suitable valves 9 and 9' may be oneratively positioned in the valve chambers.

fi' and 7, said valves 9 and 9 being preferably actuated from a common cam shaft 10.

It is to be 'understoodthat although only.

one valve is shown in each of the valve chambers 6 and 7 other valves are provided in accordance with customary design, so that an intake valve and an exhaust valve is positioned in each valve chamber.

The lowerportion of the cylinder, namely, the portion 3 may be connected to a crank case 11 in any suitable manner, as for example by means of the bolts 12. Within the cylinder 1 a movable piston mayv be positioned, said piston as indicated in Fig. 1, consisting of a hollow head 13, a skirt 14 and a wrist pin assembly-,generall-y indicated at 15. Said wrist pin assembly is attached to the end of the skirt'14-of the movable piston. Suitable expansion rings 16 may be carried by the hollow head 13 of the movable piston, and a l0ngitudinal port or opening 17 is preferably formed in the skirt 14 of the movable piston. The valve chamber 7. communicates with the interior of the cylinder through the port 17 in the piston skirt 14. V, v

A stationary bulkhead 18 is preferably positioned within the skirt 14 of the movable piston and between the wrist pin assembly 15 and the hollowchead 13 of said piston. As shown in Fig. 1, the stationary bulkhead 18 is in general of an outside. diameter substantially equivalent to the-internaldiameter of the piston skirt 14. r

The stationary bulkhead 18 may be firmly attached to the cylinder portion 3 by means of a downwardly extending member 19 in alinement with the edges of the port 17 formed in the piston skirt14, said member 19 being attached to'the cylinder portion 3 in any suitable manner, as for example by means of the machine screws 20. In addition, the stationary bulkhead--18 may be pro vided with a member 21 extending through the port 17 into the valve chamber 7 so as to permit said member 21 to be connected to the flange or web 22 of the body member 3, by meansof machine'screws or other suitable means 23.

As more particularly shownin Fig. 5', a certain amount of space is left between the inner surface 4- of the cylinder, the outer surface of the stationary bulkhead 18 and the edges of the port 17 of the split skirt. Leakage of gases would occur through this segmental opening. Means have been provided for preventing such leakage, and such means comprise a segmental expansible shoev packing carried by the stationary bulkhead 18. The segmental shoe packing is shown in perspective in Fig. 3, in section in Fig. 1, in side elevation in Fig. 2, and in transverse section in Fig. 6. As shown in the drawings,

andparticularly Fig.3, the segmental packing may comprise two segmental portions 24 and 24 having opposed fingers capable of causing engagement betweenthe sections 24 and 24 in an interlockingmanner. The segments 24 and 24 may be provided with'edges 17 a adapted to contact with the edges 17 of the port for'medfinthe splitskirt 14.

nssaesa .Each of the segments'24 and 24 maybe I provided with internally extending portions and'25, said portions being adapted tobe received in a groove formed in the stationary bulkhead 18. The internally extending members 25 and 25 follow thefcurvatureof the stationary bulkhead 18 and extend into the grooves formed in said bulkhead beyond the port 17 formed in the split skirt, 3 The segments 24 and 24 are maintained in position on said bulkhead and the edges 17a of said segments are maintained in contact with the edges of the port 17 by means ofan expansion ring 26 provided with lugs 27, said lugs being adapted tobe received in recesses 28 formed in the members 25 and 25. Oil. cular expansion rings of any suitable type, such as'the rings 29, may also be carried by the bulkhead 18, said rings 29 being preferably so positioned as to cover the overlapping edges of the interengaging tongue members carried by the segments 24 and 24.

The rings 29 may be of the type shown in Fig. 4, the distinguishing characteristic of said rings being a plurality of tangentially positioned grooves 30 in the edges of said rings. The purpose of said tangential grooves 30 is to cause said ring 29 to partially rotate whenever gases in compression leak past said ring, such rotation being imparted to the ring by reason of the force of gases impinging upon the angularly disposed grooves, the resultant force tending to rotate the rings, thereby preventing the formation of carbon or other impurities on the ring and the sticking or freezing of the ring in one position. A more even wear is obtained in this manner. Contraction rings 31 may be positioned in suitable grooves formed in thecylinder portion 3, said grooves. and contraction rings being substantially in the plane of the bulkhead 18 and preferably so positioned as to cover the inter-engaging fingers carried by the segmental portions 24 and 24 of the seg-' mental packing carried by the stationary bulkhead. These contraction rings 31 may also be provided with tangentially positioned.

grooves in their upper edge so that they resemble the expansion rlngs 29 in thls manner.

The wrist pinassembly 15 may be removably connected to the lower edge of the piston skirt 14 and may include a wrist ring 32 provided with wrist pin bosses 33 adapted to receive a wrist pin 34 which in turn is connected by means ofa-connecting rod 35 with a suitable crank shaft 36 mounted inbearings 37 The wrist ring 32 has an outer diameter substantially equivalent to the inner diameter of the piston skirt 14. The wrist ring 32 may be provided with aplurality of lugs 38 which preferably are in the shape of a tenon. The piston skirt'14 may be provided with a plurality of bayonet slots 39 adapted toreceive the lugs 38 and thereby prevent a relative longitudinal motion 'be-' tween the wrist ring 32 and the'piston skirt 14 when said lugs 38 are in position in said bayonetslots 39.

' Meansfor-lo'c-king the wrist ring may include'a small step or flange formedin the bottom edge of the pistonskirt 14, anda groove in the locking ring- 40 adapted to receive such flange, as is generally indicated at 41. In order to prevent rotation of the locking ring 40 with respect to the piston skirt 14, V s

the locking ring 40 may carry a lug '42 adapted to be received in a slot formed in said piston skirt, such as for example, one of said bayonet slots 39.

The wrist ring 32 may be provided with a plurality of bosses 43 having internally threaded surfaces adapted to receive bolts 44 passing through apertures formed in the locking ring 40, said apertures being in alinementwith the bosses 43" when the lug 42 carried by said locking ring 40 is inposition in one of said slots. It will be thus seen that means have been provided for removably connecting a wrist pin assembly to the piston skirt 14 without necessitating the removal of the bulkhead 18 or of the piston from the cylinder, the replacement ofwris't pin asseme blies beingaccomplished through the crank case of the motor when desire A modified form of construction isshown inFig. 9. Itwill be seen that thestationary bulkhead 18 instead of being directly connected'to the cylinder portion 3, as by means tance somewhat in excess of the thickness of i the skirt 14. The skirt portions 45 and 45 may be connected to a ring 46 which in turn is connected to a member 47 asby means of machine screws 48. The member 48 may then be connected to the crank case 11 and to the cylinder portion 3 by means of suitable bolts 49. In-this manner the stationarybulkhead 18 is maintainedin position within the skirt 14 of theinovable piston;

Packing shoes, similar to those employed on the stationary bulkhead shown in Fig. 1,

maybe employed on the bulkhead described tween the edges 17' of the longitudinal port or opening formed in the skirt 14 of the movable piston-r As shown in Fig. 10, thewrist pin bosses 33 may be formed integrally or firmly attached to the ends of the skirt 14 of the movable piston.

and shown in Fig. 9, said shoes fitting be- As shown in Fig. 9, the hollow head 13 may be provided with means for supplying cooling fluid thereto. It will be noted that if the construction described hereinaboveis used inthe manufacture of internal combustion double-acting engines, two explosion and expansion chambers are formed, one on each side of the movable piston head 13, namely,

the chambers A. and B. The piston head is,

nected thereto as by means of a threaded joint 52 which may be spot-welded in place. A

telescopic connection may then be made between the hollow head 13 and said tubular member 51, as by means of a conduit53 connected to the hollow head 13 as by means of a threaded connection 54. The member 53 is preferably slidably received in the tubular member 51 and is of relatively small diameter. Contraction rings 55 may be provided in the tubular member 51 so as to prevent leakage of gases through the tubular member 51.

Means for admitting cooling fluid through the telescopic connectiondescribed hereinabove into the hollov. head 13 may include a pipe or .conduit 5'5 passing through a suitable connection 57 in thetubular member 51 and extending through the tubular member 53 into the hollow head 13, when said hollow head 13 is in its highest position. Cooling fluid (such as oil) thus supplied to the hollow head 13 may be withdrawn through the conduit 53 and tubular member 51, through a suitable connection 58.

It is desirable to employ a check valve in line 58 and if necessary'a similar check valve in line 56, so as to prevent a churning action from being set up when the piston head 13 is in motion, but instead to maintain a circulation of cooling fiuid through said hollow head.

As shown in Fig. 9, the hollow head 13 may be removably connected to the skirt 14. The hollow head 13 nay be provided with a downwardly extending flange 59 internally.

threaded so as to engage with a locking ring 60 which is externally threaded and forms a threaded connection indicated at 61.

The locking ring 60 may be provided with an outwardly extending flange 62 adapted to cooperate with a key 63 seated in a groove or, key-seat formed on the internal surface of the skirt 14. The upper edge of the skirt 14 may be provided with a flange adapted to seat in a groove formed in the flange 59 of the hollow head 13. It will thus be seen that by rotating the ring 60 so as to forma threaded engagement of said ring With the hollow head 13. as indicated at 61, the skirt 14 will tudinal port 17 of the skirt 14, and is attached 1 to the bottom of the valve chamber 7 and to the top of the stationary bulkhead 18 in any suitablemanner, as for example, by means of the machine screws 65.

Said stationary bulkhead 18 may also be maintained in its position by means of a supporting member 66 provided with a downwardly extending member 67 extending through the longitudinal opening 17 in the piston skirt 14, into a key-seat 68 formed in the inner surface 4 of the cylinder portion 3. The member 66, together with its member 67 may thus be maintained in position within the cylinder by means of machine screwsor bolts 69 without interrupting the continuous circular form of the cylinder walla It-is to be understood that the member 66 is connected to the bulkhead 18 by means of suitable machine screws 70 and that the bulkhead 18 is provided with suitable expansion shoe packing fitting into the port 17 of the skirt 14.

Preferably, the top member 64 is of such size as to permit its being introduced through the port 17 of the piston skirt 14 and then turned through an angle of about 90 degrees without scraping the inner surfaces of the piston skirt.

Details of intake and exhaust valve mechanism have not been shown in the drawings, as their construction and arrangement is well known in the art. Furthermore, it'is to be understood that the type of packing rings used in the movable piston and exteriorly of the stationary bulkhead may be varied within wide limits.v

Although a particular form of expansible shoe packing has been described herein, the invention is not limited to such particular form as any segmental packing capable of fitting between edges of a longitudinal port in a piston skirt is included as coming within the scope of this invention. the provision of cooling means for the movable piston head may or may not be employed, nor is the invention limited to the employment of a removable wrist pin assembly as disclosed hereinabove, but instead includes all such modifications and changes as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Furthermore, it is to be understood that it is not essential that both the upper and lower chambers, that is, the chambers A and Furthermore,

B on either side of the movable piston, be employed as explosion chambers. Instead, one of said chambers, such as for example the chamber B between the movable piston and the stationary bulkhead, may be employed for compressing air or other gaseous fuel for purposes of injection into the explosion chambers A. Other uses of this invention willbecome apparent to those skilled in the artfrom the description given hereinabove.

I claim:

1. In a reciprocating engine, the combination of a cylinder, a movable piston within said cylinder, said piston including a head, a skirt and a single longitudinal opening in said skirt, and a stationary transverse bulkhead positioned Within said skirt and within said cylinder, said bulkhead being provided with a single shoulder extending longitudinally of said cylinder and connected to the cylinder at points within the longitudinal opening in said pistonv skirt. 7

2. In aninternal, combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, a movable piston within said cylinder, saidpiston being provided with a head, a skirt and a single longitudinal opening in said skirt, and a stationary transverse bulkhead within said piston skirt, said bulkhead being connected to the cylinder by means of a member extending through said longitudinal opening in said piston skirt into contact with the cylinder wall and also extending longitudinally of said cylinder Wall in a direction away from the head of said piston.

3. In an internal combustion engine',the combination of a cylinder, a movable piston within said cylinder, said piston being provided with a head, a skirt and a longitudinal opening in said skirt, a stationary bulkhead within said piston skirt and cylinder, said bulkhead being connected to the cylinder by means of a member extending through said longitudinal opening in said piston skirt, an expansible shoe mounted on said bulkhead and fitting into the longitudinal opening in said movable piston, and contraction rings in said cylinder externally of said piston skirt and substantially in the plane of said bulkhead. V

4-. In a piston assembly, the combination of a piston skirt, a piston head provided with a downwardly extending flange, a groove insaid flange adapted to receive the edge of the piston skirt, threads cut on the internal surface of said flange, a key seat inthe internal surface of said skirt, a key in said seat, and an externally threaded locking collar provided with an outwardly extending flange adapted to cooperate with said internally threaded head flange and said skirt key to hold said head and skirt together.

5. In an internal combustion engine, the

combination of a cylinder, a movable piston in said cylinder, said movable piston being provided with 'a hollow head, a skirt. .and a longitudinal opening in said skirt, ,a 1statio'n'ary bulkhead within" said piston skirt and cylinder a valve chamber in operative communication through said longitudinal opening with the space. between said -hollow head and stationary bulkhead, and means for supplying a cooling fluid to said head while said piston is in motion,said means including a tubular member extending tromthe top of said cylinder, a telescopic connection between said tubular member and hollow head,

; and means for supplying cooling fluid to said 'hollow'head through said telescopic connection and withdrawing fluid from-said tubular 7, member; f

any an internal combustion engine, :the combination of a cylinder, a movable piston p'ro'videdwitha hollow head in said cylinder, and 'meansiorfsupplying a cooling fluid to said head while said piston is in motion, said means including aytubular member extending from the top of said cylinder, a sleeve slidably recivedin said tubular member and attached to said piston head and in communication with the interior of said hollow head,- and means for circulating coolingfiuid through said tubular-member and sleeveand through saidpiston head.

7. In a reciprocating engine, the combination of a cylinder'provided with a head, a movable piston within said cylinder, said piss ton being provided-with one open end, ahead, a skirt,and a longitudinal opening in said skirt, a stationarytransverse bulkhead with.- lqo I thensaid member extending along said cylinder wall toward the opene'nd of said piston, V

a valve port in saidcylinder in communication' with the space between said piston head i and bulkhead through said longitudinal 1 1,0 opening, and a second valve port in said cylinder in communication" with the space between said piston head-and cylinder head.

.8. Ina reciprocating engine, .the combination of a cylinder provided with a head,-'a 1 movable piston within said cylinder, said piston being provided with one open end, a head, askirt, and a longitudinal opening in said skirt, agstationary transverse bulkhead within said piston skirt, a valve port in said ,cylinder in communication with the space between said piston head and bulkhead through saidlongitudinal' opening, said bulkhead be-- ing connected to the wall of said cylinder by means of a member extending through said .125 valve port and longitudinal piston skirt opening and connected to said bulkhead, and

a member extending radially from said bulkhead through said skirt opening into contact with the cylinder wall, and then along said cylinder wall toward the openend of said piston.

9. In a reciprocating engine, the combination of a cylinder provided with a head, a movable piston within said cylinder, said, pis ton being provided with one open end, a head, a skirt, and a longitudinal opening in said skirt, a stationary transverse bulkhead within said piston skirt, a valve port in said cylinder in communication with the space between said piston head and bulkhead through said longitudinal opening,- said bulkhead being connected to the wall of said cylinder by means of a member extending through said valve port and longitudinal piston skirt opening and connected to said bulkhead, a member extending radially from said bulkhead through said skirt opening into contact with the cylinder wall, and then along said. cylinder wall toward the open endof said piston, an expansible shoe carried by saidbulkhead and fitting into the longitudinal opening in said movable piston, and contraction rings in said cylinder externally of said piston skirt and substantially in the plane of said bulkhead.

10. In a reciprocating engina'the combination of a cylinder provided with a head, a movable piston within said cylinder, said piston being provided with one open end, a head,

a skirt, and a longitudinal opening in said skirt, a stationary transverse bulkhead within said piston skirt, a Valve port in said cylinder in communication with the space between said piston head and bulkhead through said longitudinal opening, a valve assembly in operative communication with said valve port, a member connected to said bulkhead and extending through said valve port and piston skirt opening into said valve assembly and connected thereto, a member extending radially from said bulkhead through said skirt opening into contact with the cylinder wall and then along said cylinder wall toward the open end of said piston, means for connecting said latter member and cylinder wall, an expansible' shoe carried by said bulkhead and fitting into the longitudinal opening in said movable piston, contraction rings in said cylinder externally of said piston skirt and substantially in the plane of said bulkhead, and a second valve port in said cylinder in communication with the ipae between said piston head and cylinder Signed at Los Angeles, Calif., this 15th day of October, 1929.

ROY E. DEEBLE. 

